1. Field of the Invention
This particular invention generally pertains to containers for storing various types of goods or the like. More specifically, it is directed to a resealable container which provides a novel and improved double sealing arrangement that produces audible sounds at least for indicating that the double seals are properly positioned and effected.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is a rather widespread commercial and industrial practice to store a variety of goods or the like in recloseable containers. Typically, these containers are comprised of a bowl-shaped container member having at least an open end, and removably associated therewith a closure member or lid. Normally, the closure member has relatively flexible characteristics, and is appropriately formed so as to have interfitting surfaces which usually cooperate with corresponding cooperating surfaces on the container to produce a snap-on type fit. The foregoing type of interfitting and cooperating relationship, however, ordinarily provides for only a single seal. Such seal, as is conventional, essentially serves the conventional purposes of preventing spoilage of the contents in the container and, in certain instances, undesired fluidic leakage into and from the container for well-known purposes.
Heretofore, there have been numerous forms of prior art constructions for providing the noted interfitting and cooperating relationship between the container and closure lid members of the above category. Often, many of these prior art constructions have interfitting and cooperating surfaces which are rather complicated in configuration and somewhat costly in production. Moreover, such category of prior art containers failed to furnish effective seals, especially through repeated usage. In addition, such container members and closure members were generally difficult to quickly and easily disassemble and reassemble. It is, of course, apparent that if a perfect or effective seal was not attained, the container would correspondingly be unsatisfactory for its intended use and thereby fail to perform its intended function.
Aside from the foregoing enumerated disadvantages, the typical prior art container constructions did not furnish any means for quickly, easily, and reliably indicating to a user that the closure member was properly received within and by the container member, and the corresponding sealing relationship was properly effected.
Attempts have been made to generally improve upon the effectiveness of the typical prior art container seal relationships by providing a container having relatively simply constructed interfitting and cooperating surfaces which provided for the seal. By way of specific example, an attempt to provide for such an improved resealable container is generally described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,850,786. The type of resealable container described in the above particular patent includes a plastic open ended container having an outer rim which is slidably insertable within a corresponding groove formed in the removable closure member. While this type of container was generally considered an improvement, it, however, normally only provided for a single seal between the closure lid and container member. Moreover, while a double gasket arrangement is taught, the attainment of such a double seal is only achieved whenever a particular type of material is utilized, as opposed to any constructional arrangement of the interfitting and cooperating bowl and lid. Apart from the foregoing shortcoming the flexible closure lid member is not as easily removable or replaceable as could otherwise be commercially desired. An additional drawback in the above described seal relationship was the fact that a user did not have an automatic and convenient method for easily ascertaining whether or not the seal was completely formed.
Other attempts to improve upon the foregoing type of seal arrangement have resulted in the manufacture of containers which enable the formation of at least double mechanical type seals between the closure lid member and container member. Although these attempts, such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,985,354 and 3,460,711, provide for a plurality of seals between the mating containers and closure members, they nevertheless are subject to several disadvantages. Among such disadvantages are the fact that the closure lid members are somewhat complicated in construction and manufacture. In addition, they are, in general, not as easily removable or replaceable as could otherwise be commercially desired. Moreover, in using this latter category of container, a user would not, in an easy fashion, be able to automatically and accurately ascertain whether or not the interfitting and cooperating surfaces of the lid and container had formed adequate and effective seals.
Other flexible containers have been proposed, such as described generally in U.S. Pat. No. 3,743,131, which essentially provide for a pop-top type of closure lid which produces an audible sound. The foregoing described container, however, suffers from the disadvantage in that only a single seal is provided which may not, under all circumstances, be able to provide the type of sealing that might be desired in certain situations.
In view of the foregoing comments directed to the various prior art constructions of resealable containers, it will be appreciated that such heretofore known prior art containers do not provide for a container which has an effective double seal arrangement between closure lid and container, as well as facilitates the easy and quick attachment and detachment of the lid to the closure member in a simple, economical, and reliable manner. Moreover, the prior art does not provide a container of the foregoing type that provides audible sounds which indicate that a proper seal engagement has been effectuated and broken.